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The first new treatments for gonorrhoea in many years are being hailed as a "major milestone" in the effort against increasingly resistant strains of the pathogen, according to health experts.

An International Challenge

Cases of gonorrhoea are on the rise globally, with figures suggesting more than 82 million infections each year. Notably increased rates are reported in the African continent and nations within the WHO's designated area, which spans from China and Mongolia to New Zealand. Across England, cases have hit a all-time high, while rates across Europe in 2023 were triple the level compared to the rates from 2014.

“The approval of novel therapies for gonorrhoea is an significant and necessary advancement in the face of increasing worldwide cases, increasing antimicrobial resistance and the very limited treatment choices currently available.”

Public health authorities are particularly alarmed about the increase in treatment-resistant strains. The global health body has classified it as a "priority pathogen". A tracking program revealed that the effectiveness of standard treatments like cefixime and ceftriaxone had risen sharply between 2022 and 2024.

Two New Therapies Gain Approval

Zoliflodacin, also known as Nuzolvence, was cleared by the US FDA in mid-December for use against gonorrhoea. This STI can lead to major issues, including infertility. Scientists hope that targeted use of this new drug will help hinder the spread of drug resistance.

Gepotidacin, created by the pharmaceutical company GSK, also received approval in close succession. This treatment, which is additionally indicated for UTIs, was shown in trials to be successful in treating superbug versions of the gonorrhoea bacteria.

A Novel Partnership

This new treatment was the result of a innovative non-profit model for antibiotic development. The charitable organization GARDP partnered with the drug firm its industry partner to bring it to fruition.

“This milestone represents a huge turning point in the therapy of superbug gonorrhoea, which up to this point has been staying ahead of antibiotic development.”

Testing Results and Worldwide Availability

According to data detailed in a major medical journal, zoliflodacin cured over nine in ten of genital gonorrhoea infections. This puts it on an similar efficacy with the current standard treatment, which involves an injection and a pill. The research involved hundreds of volunteers from various regions including Belgium, the Netherlands, South Africa, Thailand and the US.

Through the arrangement of its unique model, GARDP has the rights to license and sell the drug in numerous regions with limited resources.

Clinicians treating patients have expressed positive views. Access to a single-dose, oral treatment like this is hailed as a "revolutionary step" for gonorrhoea control. This is considered essential to reduce the burden of the disease for patients and to prevent the spread of extremely resistant gonorrhoea globally.